


put your head against my life (here i am)

by phoenixflyinghigh



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Bondage, Bottom Louis, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, I love Louis so much so I made him cry, M/M, Padma Patil's daughter, facism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-16 03:21:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10562652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenixflyinghigh/pseuds/phoenixflyinghigh
Summary: Louis stepped into the front courtyard of Hogwarts, he wasn’t sure how many of the students knew that they were being driven by actual animals instead of magic. While under the influence of some aged Firewhiskey, he had confessed to his best friend Harry that he could see them after he had seen his mother die, days after his 12th birthday.----Louis is the youngest, most accomplished Potions Master that Hogwarts has seen, but can he learn how to heal the cracks in his heart he's been ignoring?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [smileformemylovely](https://archiveofourown.org/users/smileformemylovely/gifts).



> This is my first time writing a One Direction fic but I've been part of the fandom for the past 6 years now. So basically I've had a lot of ideas (or daydreams) festering that are all coming out here and now! Thank you for this opportunity and I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Also the title is from A Million Love Songs by Take That.

Louis stepped into the front courtyard of Hogwarts, observing the returning students swarming from the visible thestrals. He wasn’t sure how many of the students knew that they were being driven by actual animals instead of magic. While under the influence of some aged Firewhiskey, he had confessed to his best friend Harry that he could see them after he had seen his mother die, days after his 12th birthday. 

Her family had been on the Dark Lord’s side during the First War, so once it was confirmed that the Chosen Boy hadn’t lied about his return, Louis’ mother had lost it. In the middle of his break from his Second Year, Louis had gone into his mother’s room - what he was going to ask he had no idea. Once he had seen his mother convulsing on her bed with an empty vial in her hand, nothing had mattered.

He snorted as he saw two Gryffindor girls run towards each other like it had been an eternity since they had seen each other, brought out of his thoughts. He hadn’t been able to come back to Hogwarts until he had taken his current job as Potions Master. After that fateful Christmas break Louis had stayed at home with his sisters, as they were all homeschooled by his step-father. He hadn’t been able to participate in the Battle of Hogwarts, only to find out a year later that he was a natural genius in Potions. 

It had hurt to be brilliant in the subject that was his mother’s demise, which he had only confessed to Harry after The-Christmas-Party-That-Will-Not-Be-Discussed. But it was so fun to discuss potion theory, and even get to design his own poison cure-all while getting his masters at 17. And in a way it made him feel closer to her.

But now he was 21, he had a permanent family of friends, a great audience, and a brand new prank to play on Sir Payne.

\---

“Okay, let’s go over the plan again.”

“I already know the fuckin’ plan, Tommo. Get that wood between your legs and get up here!”

Louis’ mouth ticked at his friend’s Irish brogue. God, he had missed his friends over his (semi-productive) break. Sensing that Niall’s patience was getting thin, he kicked off from the ground on his Golden Arrow. From here he could see the window of the Infirmary, where the top of Liam’s head seemed to be very stressed.

Louis bent down, tapping the potion vial on his leg holster. “Come now, don’t lag Horan!” He snickered, hearing the blonde man cursing behind him as he pushed off.

Niall still zoomed beyond him in short time, on his Nimbus 4000. 

(“Don’t you care about speed and new models?” Niall asked red-faced, the first time they flew together.

“But it’s called Golden Arrow.”

Louis cackled as Niall shook his head that anyone could choose a broom on it’s cheeky name rather than speed.)

The Irish lad flew close to the Infirmary window, yet stayed out of frame. “Ready?”

Louis nodded, as Niall took his wand out, “Aberto.” 

The window slid open, without the notice of the occupants of the room. Louis counted to two before he threw the round bottle into the room and screamed, “RUN!”

He didn’t look behind him to watch his partner-in-crime say “Collojanela.”

‘1...2…’

“POOF!”

The eery quiet confirmed to Louis that his masterpiece had worked. He could tell Niall had already turned around due to the hyena-cackling.

Snick. Louis smiled at Liam’s mad green-and-silver painted face glaring at him from the open window. Just like he planned, the entire room was covered in the colors of Niall’s house while all the humans were covered in good old green and silver.

“It looks like a fucking beehive in here.” Liam hissed. His uncovered white teeth looked alien against the background of his face.

“Now don’t tarnish the ears of your occupants, Sir Payne. What would Headmaster Dumbledore say?”

“Umm, Professor Tomlinson, when does this go away?” A nervous first year tugged at her tie. The color on her was so concentrated Louis couldn’t even guess what house she was from.

“In 36 hours! Just one second from the first class for your spring semester! Since I’m so considerate about the youths.” Louis hopped into the room, feeling like the chocolate man from his sister’s movie about a Wonka Willie. 

He ignored Liam’s grumbling that he couldn’t do math in his life to guarantee that. “But, oh! Sir Payne! I totally forgot that the first day everyone gets back is the most accident-ridden time of the year!” Louis dramatically put his hand over his mouth as Liam death-glared at him, “Oh, silly me!”

Liam was interrupted from his tirade by a loud guffaw at the back. Louis’ face hurt by how his face split as he recognized it.

“Harry!” Louis dropped his broom and jumped into Harry’s arms, as he always did. Platonically. 

“Louis!” Harry twirled him around, the two lost to the world around them. As the first year, Mohana Patil and proud Ravenclaw watched on intently.

\---

“I’m sorry about your face.” Louis said while not giggling and toying with the leaves of the new wolfsbane plant Harry had just gifted him. (“It’s not a gift, Lou, it’s your newest friend!”)

“I actually quite like it,” Harry drawled, “it’s like I’ve got you on my face now.” 

Louis watched as one of Harry's eyes began to spasm, “Are you about to sneeze on me? ‘Arry, you know I can make you a Pepperup potion for that, right?”

“Sneezing?!” Harry squinted at Louis for a moment and then walked off towards the door, muttering all the while, “Louis...fuckin’ daft...sneezing…mistletoe.”

“You know, all this time I thought that maybe this was just a whole, overly drawn out prank. But you actually don’t know, do you?” Louis jumped, forgetting that Liam had been in his office before Harry had come in with the monkshood. Although he really shouldn’t be faulted for that as Liam basically faded into his wallpaper.


	2. Chapter 2

“Harry?” Louis walked deeper into his friend’s personal greenhouse, usually the curly haired boy’s height gave him away, but Louis couldn’t see Harry anywhere. 

He had a frustrating first day with his third and first years. Apparently half of them were betting that he was in love with Liam and showed it with the pranks he had been pulling throughout the year. The other half of his students placed bets on Harry, and Louis couldn’t focus on the feeling in the pit of his stomach whenever his brain wandered over to that thought.

Sure, Harry was gorgeous. He had beautiful, cascading, chocolate hair and eyes like the Amazon. And those lips -

Nope, nope. Don’t go there, Louis.

“Harry?!” All Louis wanted to do was bitch to his best friend about how sad his life must be to have his students so involved in his love life. Harry always knew how to lift his spirits without even trying. Before the break, Louis liked to watch Harry sing to his special plant projects. Fondly, Louis thought back to when Harry and him had sillily danced while singing I Could Have Danced All Night to a grouchy Venomous Flytrap. Harry had joked that if he could cheer up Louis, they could brighten up the Flytrap’s disposition. (Louis had thrown twigs at Harry for an hour after he made a joke about how venomous the two were.)

Louis was about to charge into the field of wild Russian Radiant Rhododendrons that Harry liked to nap in before a loud Ribbit made him jump. Five feet away, under one of the giant turquoise Umbrella Flowers was a big frog.

“Ahhhh!” Louis jumped and ran away towards a orange Flower, hiding behind the trunk-like stem. 

Ribbit. Slap. Ribbit. Slap. Slap.

Louis squinted his eyes down where the light green frog had followed him. It was actually quite pretty if a frog could be called pretty. It’s big bright eyes looked up at him like he was the greatest thing in that greenhouse. Louis couldn’t remember why he had run away like a baby, sure the size of the thing was a little scary but it seemed harmless.

“Come on, love.” Louis didn’t have to coax the frog other than hold out his hand, before the cute little thing hopped into his hand. 

“Heh, this feels a little too much like that Muggle story with the princess and the frog.” For some reason, Louis didn’t feel silly talking to an amphibian, it’s beady eyes looked so understanding and hopeful. It also helped that Louis hadn’t gone on a date since last year. He swore off Liam’s blind dates after that one had thrown upon him before the first course. He also hadn’t felt so lonely after Harry had gotten hired as the new Herbology professor halfway through the year. Which had happened a few days after Vomiter Vlad.

“Do you think Harry’s avoiding me because of the mistletoe incident?” The friendly frog looked up at him worriedly, “It’s just...maybe I feel awkward around him now, you know? I know he didn’t want to kiss me, but it was enchanted! And the whole staff was there, and Dumbledore’s eyes can be very sparkly and persuasive, I assure you.”

Louis’ sigh was interrupted with a harsh Ribbit.

“Merlin, I’m pathetic.”

\-----

“I’m telling you, Aeron, Professor Tomlinson and Professor Styles are hardcore into each other! They didn’t notice us even when Coach Horan started choking on his own spit.”

The shorter Ravenclaw ran up to catch up to his friend, “So are you saying they’re a for real dream couple?”

Mohana stopped in the middle of the path leading to the greenhouses, “No. That’s the thing, Aer! I think they both don’t know the other professor is into them! So that’s why we have to set them up!”

“I don’t know, Mohana…” Aeron twisted his hands in front of him.

“Oh, come on! You’re as bored as I am with all the material we’re learning. Wouldn’t it be excited to do our own research that could lead to bringing more love into the world?”

Aeron didn’t want to burst Mohana’s bubble. He knew that her mom had still been hung up on Mohana’s father’s decision to go back to the Muggle world, leaving his family behind. If his best friend needed someone to help her scheme to set two professors up for her happiness, he would step up. 

“So which greenhouse do you think Professor Styles is in right now?”

“One of the third years mentioned that Professor Styles likes to grow the biggest Floating Watermelons in the British Isles around this time of year. So I guess whichever greenhouse with the biggest Melons?”

\-----

Across the field of Floating Watermelons, Louis of the Sly and Most Hardy House of Tomlinson was still talking to a frog in his hand. Little did he know that the creature in his hand was the first attempt of an Animagus form by his best friend. 

If any dear readers are not aware when one first succeeds into turning into their animagus, the magic user has no control of when one can turn back into their human form. 

This then explains why the frog in Louis’ hand had not turned back into a wizard once Louis had begun, very embarrassingly, speaking from his heart about his confused feelings for Harry. And as Harry was a very morally sound wizard, and very clever, given his many Floating Watermelon awards and his Head of Ravenclaw status, he would not have led Louis to continue talking if had the power to. Unfortunately, aggressive croaking did not successfully deter conversation when a very adamant Louis Tomlinson was pouring his heart out to a cute frog.

Just as Louis was approaching the epiphany moment where he would question aloud why he felt like butterflies were in his stomach the first time he had seen Harry after the mistletoe incident, two things happened. Two nosy first-year Ravenclaws caught sight of their professors through the glass, both recognizing how familiar the big frog’s eyes looked to their Herbology professor. One exclaimed to the other how they thought Professor Tomlinson was going to “kiss his prince”. 

Seconds after, a huge pop! sounded as the frog leaped from Louis’ hand, turning into a naked Herbology Professor before touching the ground.

“...” Louis stared in front of him, his eyes unfocused as Harry nervously looked up.

“Lou -”

“I - I’ve got to go.” Louis wouldn’t make eye contact with Harry or anything three feet off the ground, bumping into a big Disgruntled Daisy, “I’ve got to, um, drown myself in alcohol, so.”

Harry watched as his favorite person broke into a run out of his personal greenhouse, without a glance back.

\--------

“That was disastrous.”

“I know!”

“We need to do something.”

“I know! I really thought they were going to kiss or something.”

“That would have been too easy and boring, Aer.” Aeron wearily watched as Mohana rubbed her hands together like a Disney villain. “Aeron, when is the next trip to Hogsmeade?”

“Uh, I think it’s next weekend? But I thought first-years aren’t allowed to go…?”

Mohana glanced at her longtime playmate, “I would have thought that at this point one would know that rules are meant to be broken?”

Aeron sighed next to her, his voice coming strangled out, “Yeah.”


	3. Chapter 3

Harry slumped in his seat in the Great Hall. So far it had been three days since The Incident in the greenhouse, and Louis still wasn’t capable of looking him in the eye. At this rate he wouldn’t be able to carry out Plan A (A because it was the first one), that he had been discussing with Liam in the Infirmary before Louis had brightened his day. (It involves some magic kale Harry’s been growing, some glitter, and boots.)

Even though Liam complained, Harry knew he enjoyed Louis weekly pranks; which is why it had bothered both of them that Louis had made no retaliation to Liam’s lame bagpipe prank.

(“I think there’s no point in dilly-dallying, Harry. If there was any time to implement The Plan it would be now. You can’t waste any time! We’ve gone through all the kinks.”

“Heh, kinks...I told you it’s Plan A, Liam.”

“Whatever, Harry.”)

‘Suck it up, Styles. Tell Louis you love him.’ Harry glared at his fork.

\--------

“What does Professor Styles have against cutlery?” Aeron looked on incredulously as his kooky Herbology teacher had a staring contest with his fork.

“I’m sure Professor Tomlinson is into whatever it is.” Mohana waved Aeron’s distractions away, “Look! Just in time!”

The two Ravenclaws watched on as two owls simultaneously dropped in front of their two dazed Professor. They were both too distracted to notice the other’s mail as they opened their letters. 

Aeron had asked Professor Styles for extra help on researching classified seaweed, in The Three Broomsticks. (Fifty types were outlawed in Great Britain, and the more Aeron read about them, the more he actually wanted to discuss them with his kooky professor. He was sure Professor Styles had at least one of those seaweeds in his possession. Mohana liked to remind him that that discussion probably wouldn’t happen anytime soon).

Alternatively, Mohana had written Professor Tomlinson, asking if they could discuss the possibility of a Letter of Recommendation, also at the Three Broomsticks. (“Recommendation for what?!” “You’d be surprised what organizations you can apply to in 2nd year.”) 

Aeron might be scared of his best friend, just a little. Mohana had insisted that their Professors were so depressed, they would jump at the chance of any distraction, thus guaranteeing their plan to work. 

In the past few years, Madame Rosmerta had constructed a study space that was soundproofed, in the back of The Three Broomsticks. Both letters said that the student had booked study room 9. There, Aeron and Mohana would string fairy lights, candles, and heart confetti, creating the perfect atmosphere for their star-fated professors to finally complete their Disney kiss.

\--------

Louis shivered as he briskly walked with his short frame to the pub at the end of the snowy path. He could feel the scarf he had wrapped around his face starting to get moist with his breath, making him feel grosser than usual. Ever since that horrible moment when he was about to confess aloud to both himself and a seemingly innocent frog his feelings for Harry, he had been in a bit of a funk. Usually, whenever he got this distraught he would bury himself in his work. So far Louis had fully stocked the pantry in the Infirmary, written two more articles about his Sunlight potion, and he had not showered for three days.

Realizing that he was in love with his way-out-of-his-league best friend had sunk his mood further than he cared to deeply think about. Louis may be known as the youngest world renowned Potion’s Master, but Harry was younger than him and killing it with his knowledge of giant, offbeat botany. Harry could have his pick of men, and Louis was tired of getting his hopes up just to get thrown aside. Louis liked to be straightforward with the men he dated, letting them know he wanted a long-term committed relationship with possible children in the far future. 

His last and only real relationship had ended two years ago when Louis found out that Elrond had been cheating on him with the same person every time he ‘went home’. Louis had found out at the Ending Feast when Elrond had walked in with a buff, pale man without a second glance at Louis during the whole meal. The whole time, Louis had gaped distraught as Elrond fed his date and giggled. 

(“I just don’t see a future with us together, Lou. I mean, you know you were just a stand-in fuck before I could transfer to Dublin right?”

Merlin, why had he dated the Divination Professor? Why did he have a thing for guys who used puns related to their work?)

No, Louis knew his heart couldn’t handle another heartbreak. It was better to be alone forever than risk the pain he had felt for months. He just had to train himself out of love with Harry. Like, write down all his flaws, he thought, or condition himself to hate puns.

But he couldn’t think about that now. He had a student to inspire. Louis grasped the pub door handle through his patterned mitten.

\--------

Louis opened the oak door to study room 9 and had to blink many times to adjust to the dark setting. The room was lit only by the glow of fairy lights with real orange flames in each “bulb”. If this was Madame Rosmerta’s idea of a makeover, he thought, it was beautiful but completely detrimental to a study space. 

Louis could hear the strumming of a guitar accompanying a familiar song popular on the radio, and hints of hot cocoa floated to his frostbitten nose. Louis couldn’t help but sigh at the cosiness of the room, reminding him of the winters he had spent with his mother when she was alive.

While Louis was slowly acclimating to the study room, the other occupant had overcome his shock of seeing him. Harry haltingly stood up from the corner, approaching Louis from the back.

“Ah!” Louis felt a cold hand against his neck. He turned around to see the last person he wanted to be in close quarters with.

“Oh, Merlin, sorry Lou.” Harry’s hands came down to the shorter man’s shoulder, steadying him from his shock.

Louis felt his breath catch in short breaths, for good reason. Harry was so close. He was touching him. Harry was between Louis and the door.

“Lou, I need you to know that I wasn't trying to trick you by staying in my Animagus form. It was my first time, I didn't even know it was going to work and -”

“I get it Harry. I was the one who brewed that potion for you before...the break. I guess I just wasn’t thinking.” Louis huffed out a breath, looking down. Merlin, he couldn’t even function with Harry so near, how pathetic was he?

Harry brought Louis’ face up with a finger under his chin, his eyes earnest, “Lou -”

“Oh wow!! Hot cocoa! I’m freezing!” Louis practically ran to the other side of the room where a cauldron of spiced gingerbread floating in cocoa stood. Louis frantically started ladling the concoction into a nearby mug. “Hmm! It tastes even better than it smells! H-have you tried this?” Louis stuttered, looking up from his cradled cup to see Harry prowling (that was the best fitting word for how graceful he suddenly was) towards him.

“C-ci-cinnamony!” Harry took Louis’ glass from his hand in one motion, setting it on the table behind him, effectively caging Louis in. “H-harry?”

Harry slowly brushed part of Louis’ fringe away from his eyes with his thumb. Louis couldn’t breathe. He didn’t know who surged forward first, but suddenly Harry’s lips were on his, and his arms had come up to fist at Harry’s hair. Louis’ eyes were closed as his hands gained a life of their own, exploring Harry’s body. 

Harry kissed him with his usual ferocious focus, softly at first and then gaining intensity. Louis felt dizzy, he could only concentrate on where Harry’s hands touched him, he felt like Harry was the plank wood keeping him from drowning.

Harry’s hands roamed to Louis’ backside, cupping his ass. Suddenly he hefted Louis up, causing him to wrap his legs around the taller one’s hips. Abruptly, Louis noticed that he was shaking, probably from all the pent-up feelings for the Adonis rocking his world. 

Louis was brought back to reality as his back met the wood stained wall. Harry’s assertive mouth parted his own, opening a new dimension of sensations as he explored Louis’ mouth. Louis felt like he had shed some suppressive skin, dazed he wasn’t sure whether any of this was real or a dream.

He broke away, “H-Harry.” His voice sounded parched and wild, Louis stopped, his mouth parted in a small, shy smile. “Harry, what are we doing?”

“Well, I thought we were finally kissing because you got your head out of your arse.” Harry’s cocky tone along with a raised eyebrow sent a tingle straight towards Louis’ dick.

“Merlin.” Louis surged forward, pulling Harry’s face towards him, throwing himself back into the kiss.


	4. Chapter 4

Louis felt like he was floating on clouds, his heart hurt in the best way as he walked down the path towards the greenhouse. He couldn’t stop smiling dreamily. Harry and him hadn’t spent that much time talking yesterday. They had lost track of time, although they thankfully hadn’t been in a tragically compromising position when the next study group had come in for their time slot. They definitely didn’t need to know that Louis had smuggled the rest of the cauldron of cocoa beneath his robes. 

(He really liked hot chocolate and gingerbread, okay? Also, Harry said he thought it was sexy how sneaky he was. Louis had not made a joke about sneakily stealing Harry’s heart).

Anyway, Louis thought that it was time to have an actual conversation with words instead of just lips, which is why he was heading to Harry’s personal greenhouse. Louis’ smile grew wide, he knew what Harry liked to do every Wednesday afternoon there.

\--------

“Feed the birds, tuppence a bag,  
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag  
‘Feed the birds,’ that's what she cries  
While overhead, her birds fill the skies!!”

Harry was twirling, his hands forming an uneven circle over his head, his watering duties forgotten. Louis looked on, closing the glass door quietly behind him, not wanting to disrupt the scene before him. Harry insisted that his plants were so giant because they were filled with love, pumped every Wednesday with a song. 

Harry continued singing the slow and haunting song, gently fondling a leaf hanging from a floating melon about the size of one of the playhouses one of Louis’ sisters liked to play in.

“Though her words are simple and few  
Listen, listen, she's calling to you  
"Feed the birds, tuppence a bag  
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.”

Harry continued weaving through the hanging vines falling from the humongous field of melons floating just above his head. His eyes were closed, his long hair floating along with him in his own little world. Louis watched as his...Harry pirouetted at random, his husky voice adding an almost ethereal layer to the repetitive tune. Louis felt his eyes falling a little bit as if this was all part of a dream. So basically not that unusual to any time he spent time with Harry. Merlin, how dense was he to not realize earlier how gone he was for this boy? 

“Don’t you think that’s a little counterproductive?”

Harry startled, almost falling to the ground if not for the tight grip on a vine nearby, “Louis, I didn't see you there! What are you talking about?”

“I'm just saying, don’t birds eat plants and other green stuff?” Louis walked towards Harry, now both below the same melon.

“Umm, I guess? I just really like that song, I-I guess.” The Harry in front of him right now was very different from the cocky Don Juan from last night. Harry rubbed the back of his neck, looking down at Louis.

“Listen, Harry. I just wanted to talk about last night.”

Harry looked devastated for a second but quickly covered it up with a clearly-fake cough, “Oh. Is this you telling me it was a mistake? I mean, that makes perfect sense we are coworkers, I guess.”

“What? No. Harry,” Louis twisted his hands in front of him, “I just wanted to say that I really liked. What happened. Like, really liked. And, um, I wanted to ask, if you -”

“HARRY!” Liam flung open the door to the greenhouse, it smashed with a BANG against the glass wall. Liam looked like death warmed over, sickly pale and sweaty, his hair unkempt. He had a slip of paper, slick with sweat, clenched in his fist.

Louis and Harry ran over to Liam, “What happened, Liam?” Harry put his hand reassuringly on Liam’s arm, as Louis took the paper offered to him.

It read:

“Hello, Mudblood. You would be of much greater use as human fertilizer than as a pathetic excuse of a healer. I will not rest until you and your traitor, filth-loving friends are murdered.”

Louis looked at Liam, terrified, “Liam.”

Liam looked down, now with a slight green disposition, “I’m sorry. But this isn’t the first one. I didn’t want to worry anyone, but this was the first one that didn’t just threaten me and -”

“Liam,” Harry looked at a loss for words, “can I hug you?”

At his nod, Harry engulfed Liam in a hug prompting Liam to start quietly crying. Harry and Louis shared a shocked look, Louis had never seen Liam cry in the five years of knowing him.

“Liam, you can’t just hide something threatening your safety and only care when it affects us.” Louis shut down Liam’s protests, “How would you feel if I got death threats and didn’t tell anybody?”

The healer looked down, “Bad.”

“Yeah, bad!”

“What Louis is trying to say,” Harry bugged his watery eyes out at Louis trying to communicate something Louis didn’t understand, “is that we’re here for you no matter what.”

“Yes. Let’s go take this to Dumbledore, okay? I mean if anyone knows how to handle a fascist, it’s him, right?” Louis tried to soften the mood as he watched Harry discreetly wipe his eyes, putting a guiding hand on Liam’s back as they walked back to the castle together.

Louis could understand why Liam had gone to Harry and him first. Niall was from a neutral pureblood family in Ireland. But Louis was a known blood traitor and Harry was a half-blood and a traitor. Although he had taken his mother’s last name, his father was still a Parkinson who had left Harry’s mom when he was young. 

\---------

Dumbledore took off his spectacles after the letter once again, his face sombre. He hadn’t said a word after performing the proper diagnostic spells on the document. “Sir Payne, how did you receive this letter?”

“It was on top of the desk in my office this morning, sir. It’s how all the letters appeared. Sir.” Thankfully Liam had stopped fucking bowing every time the Headmaster addressed him. Although Louis reasoned that it could also be because he was so dazed from the current situation.

There were three notes, so far, placed on the Headmaster’s desk. Louis was slightly numb inside, his feelings taking a 180. He thought that blood supremacy was a problem of the past. Hadn’t this been something that had been fought from the beginning to the end of the 20th century?

“Gentlemen, there is only one thing I know without a doubt about these letters and the person behind them.” Dumbledore looked all of them in the eye carefully, “Whoever it was is someone who lives inside of Hogwarts. Whoever tried to hide their magical signature was clearly an amateur, thus pointing me to the conclusion that the perpetrator was a student. I will be looking very closely with Professor Babbling to see if Hogwarts or the wards can help us find this person. All of you are distinguished men in your field, so I know you will all be capable of helping each other stay safe.”

\--------

Numbly, the three walked down the staircase from the Headmaster’s office. A student could be plotting to murder them! Merlin, Louis was glad he was generally liked by his kids, unlike the Potions Master before him. But he supposed popularity didn’t matter when the only thing one cared about was blood.

Louis had sensed something had changed with Liam during the Headmaster’s speech. Just before the boys reached the Infirmary, Liam turned on Louis. 

“I can’t believe you!” Liam snarled at Louis, leaving Harry and Louis looking confused at each other, “This whole time I thought you were acting sad because you realized that you wanted to bone Harry, but you’ve been setting this whole thing up!”

“Liam?”

Liam laughed, inching slowly closer to Louis, “I should have never trusted you. Everyone knows that your family was on Voldemort’s side during the First War.”

Louis flinched and stepped back.

“Jesus, you were sorted into bloody Slytherin! You’re the Head of that House! This whole time I was fucking worried about you because they always single out the blood traitors after the muggleborns. But you’re one of them aren’t you?” Liam was practically growling at this point.

Louis looked desperately at Harry, but he didn’t move.

“God, they don’t even know who your father was! I bet you don’t even know which death eater your whore of a mother -”

“Enough!” Louis drew his wand, seeing red. Liam knew how sensitive he was about his mother, Liam had been his best friend before Harry had come along. 

Louis put a mask on his face, so his ex-friend wouldn’t see how fractured he felt inside. “Dumbledore said that the spellwork was one of an amateur. Liam, it wasn’t me, I promise.”

Liam drew his wand, “Everyone knows your spellwork is shoddy, Tomlinson. That’s the reason you even decided to go into potions, wasn’t it?” Louis hated the smile on the healer’s face. 

Liam stepped closer to Louis but was stopped as Harry drew him back with his arm. 

A series of looks passed between the two before Harry turned to Louis, “Louis, go to your quarters.”

Louis’ voice did not crack, “Harry.”

“Go, Lou.”


	5. Chapter 5

Louis felt himself going through the motions for getting ready for his first class on Monday. He had stayed inside his quarters throughout the weekend, completely ruined his diet with ice cream, and cried himself to sleep. He had just lost two of his best friends right after possibly finding a possibly fantastic relationship with one of them. It seemed that no matter what he tried he wasn’t good enough. No matter what, his past always came back to haunt him.

For the past two days, Louis kept replaying the fight in his mind. He never knew Liam the chivalrous Gryffindor could be so mean. He knew precisely why Louis had gone into potions. Liam had held him while he cried about his mother every year on the anniversary of her death. He had told Liam in confidence how he felt like he wasn’t good at spellwork. He had developed a sort of complex after he hadn’t been able to afford a new wand his first few years at home, after his first one broke.

At least he only had first years on Mondays, he could do those classes in his sleep.

\--------

Mohana and Aeron couldn’t wait for their class on Monday. They saw that their professors couldn’t get their eyes off each other Friday morning, so the plan definitely worked.

“Do you think Professor Tomlinson is going to have us make Amortentia?” Aeron fell in step with Mohana on the way to the dungeons.

“Oh! That would be fantastic! Maybe he’ll be so lovesick he’ll let us do independent research, even as first years!” Mohana took out what looked like three rolls of scrawled notes, Aeron couldn’t wait for her to clue him into her new project now that the previous scheme worked.

“Maybe he’ll let me run to the library towards the end of…”

Aeron looked towards what was making Mohana stop in her tracks. Professor Tomlinson definitely looked sick, but not of the love kind. He had deep eye bags and was hunched over. His hair looked greasy, but not even like how it was after the result of experimental fumes, and his patchy ‘beard’ was unkempt. 

Aeron thought maybe his Professor was just sick until he saw his eyes. He gaped silently. Professor Tomlinson’s eyes held a sadness that cut through Aeron. It looked deeper than just unrequited love, Aeron saw hopelessness in the man’s eyes. Sweet Merlin, what did Professor Styles do to him?

\-----------

Louis contemplated whether he should actually teach for this block. It was his first year Ravenclaws and Gryffindors, and he knew of a few Ravenclaws were capable of teaching at least one class of their peers. He just did not have the energy after his Slytherin and Hufflepuff class. He hated stereotypes, but Liam did have a point regarding Slytherins. Was he a bad Head of House? Was one of his students troubled or the next Dark Lord? He had spent the whole period constantly vigilant and had actually jumped when a quiet Hufflepuff had come up to ask for help.

He strode to the front of the class, setting his bag down, when he saw him. Louis didn’t like to pick favorites but he definitely sensed that one of his students, Miss Patil, had a certain type of spark. He generally tried to make sure she felt comfortable to ask him questions and often looked at her nodded face during lectures. Which is why noticed that the olive-skinned girl behind her was leaning forward to drop a vaguely familiar piece of parchment in her bag.

“Mr. Demetriou, can you please being today’s pop quiz by standing in front of the class and talking about your favorite potion and it’s uses in the modern era?” The blonde boy beside Miss Patil comically widened his hazel eyes, before nervously making his way to the front.

Louis leaned against the wall in one of the corners of the room as he watched his students presentations. Waiting for a moment where everyone was engaged in the speaker, Louis discreetly took his wand out and whispered and pointed at the feet of the Gryffindor girl, “Colloshoo.”

Determined, Louis nodded to himself and waited for the block to be over.

\---------

“Miss Patil?” Louis caught her before she could leave the classroom, “I would like you to accompany me along with Miss Nott to the Headmaster’s Office. You’re not in trouble, don’t worry.” He tried to smile reassuringly at her, but he wasn’t quite sure if his face was cooperating.

Mr Demetriou and his friend exchanged a look before she handed her bag over to Louis.

He had tried not to look too smug when Miss Nott (full name Caron Meredith Nott, Louis had checked with a handy spell) had noticed halfway through the class that her feet were stuck to the ground. She hadn’t said a word after he told her to follow him to the Headmaster’s Office, she had always been one of the quiet ones. Maybe there is truth to the saying that it’s always the quiet ones, Louis thought to himself.

“Apple rings.” Louis told the statue outside of the Office. He made sure to have Miss Nott walk in front of him up the stairs so she couldn’t run   
away.

“Headmaster,” Louis stopped as he saw that Professor Babbling, the Professor of Ancient Runes, already convening with the professor.

“Professor Tomlinson, does this have anything to do with the situation?” The old man lifted one white, bushy eyebrow seeing the students flanking Louis.

“Yes, I saw this one dropping a familiar note into Miss Patil’s bag.” Louis dug around and produced the note. He was glad he had prevented the girl from reading it, reading the letter addressed to Liam still chilled him to the bone. 

Albus hummed as he skimmed it, “Yes, this has the same magic signature and...tone. Professor Tomlinson, are you positively sure that you saw Miss Nott drop this into Miss Patil’s bag?”

At Louis’ nod, the Gryffindor girl squeaked, “Headmaster, I promise I didn’t. I didn’t! I haven’t even seen that paper before in my life!” At the silence to her outburst, she looked to be near tears, “I’ll take the Veritaserum! I-I’ll prove it!”

Louis hoped one day he could emanate the extreme grandfatherly vibes coming from Dumbledore as he walked around the desk to touch one of Caron’s hands, “That won’t be necessary, my dear. Now, I’ve been around the block so I have an inkling of what’s going on.” the old man touched his nose in solidarity, “Is it alright if I look into your mind?”

Louis, Professor Babbling, and Miss Patil waited in silence after Caron’s nod as the Headmaster sifted through her mind.

“Ah. Miss Nott am I right in reasoning that your father was not overjoyed that you were sorted into Gryffindor?”

Caron nodded, still tearful. Her neatly pinned black hair had started to unravel from her earlier adamant head shaking. “Yes. He was about to disown me but then he changed his mind and said that family always helps one another.”

‘What a drama queen,’ Louis thought admirably, as the Headmaster suspensefully folded his hands in front of him, walking back behind his desk.

“It seems that your father took that line too literally, Miss Nott. I have detected that you have subjected to bouts of the Imperius curse, thus making you unaware of the death threats you have been sprinkling to people your father considered dangerous Muggleborns and ‘blood traitors’.”

Caron looked devastated as Dumbledore went on, “I would greatly appreciate if you would stay with me while I alert the authorities and if you could give your personal statement.” He looked up at the three silent figures, “You all are dismissed except for Professor Tomlinson. And I trust that you will not tell anyone what transpired here today, Miss Patil. We would not want to cause more distress on Miss Nott.”  
Mohana nodded and followed the Ancient Rune Professor as Louis stepped closer to the Headmaster’s desk.

Dumbledore lowered his voice, leaning in and looked at him worriedly, “Louis, Harry came to me and explained the situation currently transpiring between you and Sir Payne. I am constantly aware how young my fellow coworkers are currently, and I just want to make sure you are aware that you do not have to prove anything to me or those who matter.” Albus watched Louis with a hawk’s eye as he tried to weasel himself of this conversation.

“I am sure Sir Payne will come to his senses this time. But I want to make you fully aware that what transpired today would not have affected how I have always viewed you as a friend and colleague.” Dumbledore quickly tapped Louis’ hand reassuringly as he tried to make sense of his lifting spirits.

\-----------

Louis was sure that the owl trying to tap itself into his quarters was from either Liam or Harry asking for forgiveness. He wasn’t having it either way, as he continued his stare off with the bird with a warm cuppa cradled in his hands. The past couple weeks were way too emotional for the Slytherin and he deserved a lazy night in.

Apparently the universe did not agree as someone begin incessantly pounding on his door. Louis considered letting whoever it was tire themselves out instead of answering, but he was sure that they would never tire if it was who he thought it was.

“What.” 

There Harry stood with an avocado the size of his head, already cut in half. He looked like a puppy who had just been yelled at and yet still did not know what he had done.

“I don’t want your weird green fruit.” Louis started closing his door, but Harry overpowered him.

“Lou, I didn’t want it to come across that I was on Liam’s side. But I’m now somewhat aware that it might have seen that way? Headmaster Dumbledore can be really scary, even in a nightgown. I think he likes you.”

Louis glared up at Harry, “That’s a shit apology.”

“Oh, um -”

“Admit it, Harry, you thought at least for a second that I was some blood purist. You believed him and not me.” 

Harry couldn’t meet his eyes.

Louis let out a sigh that sounded like a sob, “Harry, I can’t do this. I really like you. But I can’t be with someone who doesn’t trust me or just believes something people say about me. I need someone on my side, Harry!” Louis was shouting at this point, tired of hiding the tears in his eyes.

“I need someone on my fucking side. I deserve to have someone who thinks I’m worth something. And I just don’t think you fit that description.”

Louis couldn’t hear Harry’s protests, he shoved him towards the door. Thankfully this time Harry noted that he really was serious, and finally left.

He looked at the avocado left on his end table. The flesh was already starting to brown, just like his hopes of a life with Harry.


	6. Chapter 6

By that Friday, most of the castle knew about the drama that transpired in the past couple weeks. Unfortunately this included the drama-filled shoutfest between Healer Payne and Professor Tomlinson on a particular dark night (apparently some gossipy prefects on patrol had heard the whole thing). As Liam was a proud Gryffindor, this had led to a resurgence of the Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry, brought to the level it was in the ‘90s, according to a drained Professor McGonagall. Louis and the Head of Gryffindor had spent much of the past week pulling apart inter-house rivalries.

Thankfully this rush of activity had helped Louis continue to avoid Harry. He tried to spend as little time as possible in his quarters and had even gone as far as having tea with Hagrid in the hopes that Harry wouldn’t think to look there. 

At this point he had accepted that he had acted a little bit rash in his last encounter with the curly-haired boy. He reasoned that he should have at least listened to Harry’s reasoning before turning him away because at this point he would have to compromise his pride if he approached Harry first.

This is why Louis was thankful when he received a summons for a staff meeting the next morning in a sectioned courtyard beside the Black Lake. It would be the perfect spot to meander close to Harry and hope that everything would just resolve itself. He was so tired.

\-----------

“That’s it!” Mohana continued angrily pacing in front of the tall bookshelf in the Ravenclaw common room. Aeron felt as energized as Mohana for once, Professor Tomlinson was his favorite professor, he felt justified at the low standing Professor Styles held at this point.

They had just sent the owl to Professor Tomlinson about a fake staff meeting in the romantic grove by the Great Lake, but Mohana had stopped him from sending the corresponding letter to Professor Styles. And with good reason, Aeron thought irritatedly, Professor Styles didn’t deserve to reap the benefits of Mohana and his good work. 

“But what are we going to do, Mohana? Just send Professor Tomlinson to a grove alone at 8 in the morning?” Aeron stood up and walked towards his best friend, leaning against the wood bookcase.

Mohana stared through him for a moment. “No, we’re going to go to Professor Styles and knock some sense into him.”

“What?! We can’t threaten a professor, Mohana!” Aeron looked at Mohana with confused dismay, as she started gathering their things, “He’s the Head of our House! Mohana!”

“Mohana?!?” Aeron unwillingly followed her towards their Head of House’s chambers.

\--------

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. The bronze hawk knocker turned silver, indicating that Professor Styles had finally come to the door. 

He looked horrible. His hair was messed up, with random strands sticking up every way. Yet he still didn’t look devastated as the potions master, Aeron thought angrily on behalf of Professor Tomlinson.

“Miss Patil, Mr Demetriou. I’m sorry, did one of you request an extra help session? All my papers are in a wreck.” The professor raked a hand through his hair, his forehead wrinkled up.

“No we didn’t. Can we come in, professor?” Aeron knew the tone in Mohana’s voice. The last time she had sounded so dangerous was when one of her older brothers had pretended to burn one of her books. This was a voice of a woman who would not be scorned.

She pushed past the confused professor, Aeron following dutifully. Professor Styles slowly closed the door behind him, as Mohana looked up at him with fire in her eyes.

“I don’t know what you are playing at Professor, but what you did to Professor Tomlinson was wrong.”

“Excuse me, Miss Patil, I am your professor!” A deep groove formed between the curly-haired man's eyebrows.

“And he was your friend, but you still fed him to the dogs. He trusted you and you didn’t even give him any consideration that you cared for him at all! That’s not what love looks like!” Mohana looked teary suddenly, and Aeron realized that this hadn’t just been a series of schemes to distract her from her problems. They both cared a lot for their fallen professor, but this was also a fight to prove that love could still exist for people who were broken, like Mohana’s mom and  
Professor Tomlinson.

The Herbology professor looked taken aback, “Well, either way, I don’t believe my personal life is any matter that you should be concerned with, Miss -”

“We sent a fake note to Professor Tomlinson!” Aeron burst out, Mohana and the professor both looking at him like they forgot he was there, “We were the ones who brought you together at the Three Broomsticks. And we were going to get you alone together at the Great Lake, but we had to know that you deserved it first.”

“Deserved it? Mr Ba-”

Aeron looked down, frightened that he was interrupting a professor again, his hands clenched tight, “Professor Tomlinson is the best...and kindest professor and we don’t want you to hurt him again like that. Everybody could tell that...We need to know why you treated him like that.” Aeron gulped, looking at Mohana beaming proudly at him, “You can’t hurt him like that again, Professor.”

Disconcerted, Professor Styles sat down in front of the two students, “So if I tell you why I was silent and turned Louis away, you’ll help me talk to him alone?”

“Aeron even prepared a cute picnic.” Mohana chimed in.

The older man sighed, “Well.” He held a corn-shaped cushion in his lap, “First of all, I told Louis to go because I didn’t want both of my fr - colleagues to do something that they would regret in the morning. I’m sure both of you know that at that point, they both had their wands pointed at each other.”

They both nodded, Mohana visibly trying to contain a retort.

“And I knew Louis was the most level-headed of the two, so I decided I would stay with Liam so he didn’t follow Louis or do something stupid. And then,” He nervously looked at his hands, “I guess I got caught up with my research over the weekend and forgot to follow up with the two.”

“I’m sorry, Professor, but bullshit.” Aeron gasp-gulped at Mohana as she stood up. “Did you believe what Sir Payne said?”

“...I” The Ravenclaw Head of House looked down again.

“Even for a second, did you believe that Professor Tomlinson had sent pureblood supremacist death threats to his friend?” Mohana made fierce eye contact with the professor.

“I...yes.” He looked on the edge of tears, “I felt so ashamed after I left Liam, because I love him! And I thought that! I believed...I just couldn’t face him, I felt so guilty.” At this point the professor’s words were muffled as he sobbed into his hands.

Aeron felt horrible. It was horrible reasoning, but they could tell that he truly cared for their professor. He exchanged a look with Mohana, they nodded at each other.

“Professor?” Aeron tentatively put his hand on the man’s shaking shoulder, “Here’s the note about where to meet Professor Tomlinson. We really hope it goes well.”

They let themselves out as they heard him mumble, “Me too, Mr Demetriou, me too.”

\----------

Louis hummed to himself, as he strode across the sunny grove. He was glad Dumbledore had chosen this spot to hold their meeting. It was the memorial space for the war hero Sirius Black, since he had almost died here about fifteen years before, so the weather was preserved to be warm no matter the season.

Maybe his luck was turning, he was actually early for something, or so he thought since the only thing there was a blanket and a picnic basket. 

‘Well, I haven’t eaten anything yet, and this is for staff.’ Louis reasoned as he opened the basket. There was tea! He happily took the refilling thermos out and munched on one of the biscuits, lounging on the blanket. He closed his eyes. He deserved to lay down for a second under the sun.

He heard crunching footsteps walking towards him, Louis hoped it was Niall. He was the constant rock throughout this whole ordeal, he should make him a jacket with ‘Switzerland’ on it, Louis thought to himself.

He blinked his eyes open. It was not Niall. Louis jerkily crab-walked back from Harry awkwardly looking down at him. He mentally crossed out his plan, it hurt to look at him, he didn’t have to know why Harry had bruised his heart. 

Louis determinedly did not look at his eyes, as he quickly took the thermos and the bag of biscuits and walk-ran towards the castle.

“Lou!” His legs shook, stopping him from his escape.

Louis did not turn around, “Harry.”

He felt a warm body behind him, as a deeply sincere voice weakened him, “Louis, I’m not asking that you forgive me, just listen.” The husky voice sighed, “I’m so sorry, Louis. The reason why I didn’t stick up for you during the fight was that I wanted to diffuse the situation and stay neutral. But. The reason why I didn’t talk to you that weekend was that I felt disgusted with myself...I was disgusted that I believed Liam for a moment.”

Louis bit his quivering lip, he would not cry again, dammit!

Harry sounded like he was fighting the same battle, “You are my favorite person in the entire world, Louis. You’re it for me. I’m in love with your mind and your smile and the way you look so soft and unguarded when you wake up drunk. And I never understood why you always beat yourself up for little things, and then I became one of those people that hurt you. I didn’t realize that what I felt wasn’t important compared to how much you were hurting. And I’m sorry that I was selfish and that I hurt you.”

He let out a long breath, “And I understand if you don’t want to see each other anymore or at all. I had hoped that what you were going to ask me in the greenhouse would have...Well, it doesn’t matter now does it?” Harry sniffled again.

A beat passed. Louis closed his eyes, steeling himself, and turned around. He took one of Harry’s hands, encasing it between his two, “Thank you, Harry. I forgive you, but honestly, I understand. A-And I don’t know how magical Hogwarts would be without you. But,” Louis touched one of Harry’s fingers, “I need some time to think about whether I want a relationship with you. I…”

“That sounds fair, Lou. That sounds more than fair.” They finally looked into each other’s eyes, each a bit closer to a smile than before.


	7. Chapter 7

A little over a month had passed since Louis’ reconciliation with Harry. So far, Louis was still managing to avoid spending long periods of time with Harry, as he thought about what he wanted. However, the relationship he had with Liam was still far from repair. Harry had been nice enough to be their owl for requests and refills of potions between the two, but Louis could tell it was putting a strain on him. Not to mention that all the Valentine’s Day decorations were giving him a headache, he just wished that none of this had happened so he could be cuddled somewhere with Harry doing something cheesy.

Right now he was in one of Harry’s sweatpants down in the kitchens. It was Harry’s day for sitting with Liam and he didn’t want to deal with that right now in his state. It wasn’t sad if he had ice cream for dinner, right? He looked down at his strawberry sundae spoon hanging from his mouth and was startled to look up to see blue eyes near his own.

“Fuckin’ hell, Niall!” Louis tore the spoon out of his mouth, “Stop doing that!”

Niall backed away, his hands up, “Look, mate, it’s not my fault you’re always in your own little world.”

The blonde looked Louis up and down and he resumed eating his icy goodness, “This is just sad, mate.” Louis looked up to half-heartedly glare at his friend, his mouth bulging with dessert, “You know what we need? A pub night!”

Louis made a noise that he hoped came across as a no.

“Mate, Harry and I can not go around between the two of you on eggshells anymore! Don’t you remember when you and Liam were best mates?”

“Yeah, and I also remember him accusing me of being the next Dark Lord, so.”

“And! He’s so uptight and scared of you that he would never apologize sober, so.”

Louis sighed, turning back to get another scoop but was intercepted by a house-elf, “I don’t want Liam to apologize drunk, that’s just you giving him an out.”

“Okay, maybe that came out wrong. But drinks would get you both out of your heads and make you both realize how much you need each other. And Liam can get his ‘ead out of his arse so he can apologize while he’s hungover!”

Louis hummed, his mouth full.

“You know that a man is most truthful and vulnerable when he’s hungover, Lou.” A pause. “And if he fucks up anytime tonight we’ll let you punch him when he wakes up.”

“...Alright.”

\----------

Louis was regretting this so hard. The awkward silence at their table was not worth a punch in the morning. Louis had escaped four times already for Gillywater shots for himself. Liam shifted again, staring into his butterbeer like it could Portkey him out of the Knockturn Alley pub. Harry and Niall were bugging their eyes at each other that only the other could understand. Louis sighed again. Nope, he wasn’t doing this.

“Come on, Niall, let’s dance.” He dragged Niall out of their booth towards the small and dead dance floor. Dead in more ways than one, Louis thought, dodging a flying hand from a witch who looked like an Inferi. Why were the only gay bars here in Knockturn Alley?

Between the few people, Louis could see Harry and Liam arguing with each other. Harry looked done and walked outside, leaving Liam alone, looking dejected at their table. Well, now was as good a time than ever.

Louis walked as slow as he could back to their table, “Hey.”

Liam looked up at Louis’ gloomy tone, quickly looking down again as he mumbled, “Hey.”

Louis blew a raspberry as he sat down across from the healer. He would sit with him, but he definitely wouldn’t help him apologize.

A silence occurred between the two before Louis couldn’t take it anymore, “Well I guess that tells me everything. I’ll see you at the Ending Feast.” 

He started scooting out but was interrupted with a hand on top of his.

“I’m...a dick.”

“...Go on.” Louis drawled.

“...I was scared and I just took it out on you, when I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry.” Liam looked up at Louis with puppy-dog eyes.

Louis raised an eyebrow as if to say that’s it? “I’ll wait for the better sequel in the morning.” 

The blue-eyed man stood up and followed Harry outside, he needed a smoke, and hopefully, the taller boy had some seaweed on him.

\---------

Harry blew on his hands from the cold as he watched Louis exhale smoke like he was in some French porno. Merlin, he was so hot. The shorter man closed his eyes and laid his head back against the wall, taking another hit. Harry watched his lithe neck bend back and swallowed. 

He didn’t realize he was in his own little world, imagining himself covering Louis’ neck with marks to say that he was there. 

Bright blue eyes focused on him, “I’m tired, Harry.” He could see the breath coming from his mouth. “I’m tired of ignoring what I feel for you. At this point, I don’t care if it’s going to hurt as long as I can have you for at least one night.”

He stepped closer to Harry, snow scattered in his hair, trying and succeeding to prowl seductively. He put a finger on Harry’s chest,  
leaning forward, and jerked his head down and puked all over his shoes.

\----------

“Shit, shit, shit, shit.” Louis touched his head to see if it was as cracked as it felt. Nope, just hungover, that’s great. He squinted one eye open, everything was too bright, so definitely not his room. He groaned like Frankenstein’s monster, where was he?

“Hey! I brought you some avocado toast!” A husky whisper floated down to him, caressing his bloated brain.

Louis responded with another groan. A hand combed through his hair, making Louis purr lowly. Or maybe it was just a pleasant, low moan. Through the haze of throbbing pain, Louis felt content and happy for the first time in over a month. Maybe Harry didn’t deserve a second chance to a passer-by, but Louis deserved to have Harry in his life. So screw all that happened, at least it had shown Louis how much Harry made him happy and how much he took care of the potions master.

“Lov’ you.” Louis turned his head to allow Harry to card through a new section of hair. Oblivious, he lost himself in sleep as Harry stared at the gentle, dozing man in his bed with a teary smile.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to warn that some sex stuff happens in this chapter. As a lesbian, I tried my best to write sex I would want to participate in if I was a cis gay man. So please take it with a grain of salt, because this was my first attempt (although my beta said it was really good for a first try).

Louis felt warm and pleasantly full. He remembered Harry making a full English breakfast, but it felt like a dream. So he must have gone right back into bed right after. He nuzzled his pillow, burrowing his head into its neck. 

Oh wait, that wasn’t a pillow. Louis sat up halfway, his hair sticking up like chicken fluff, as he blinked down at an equally sleepy Harry gazing up at him. Everything from that morning came back to him. 

Louis fell back onto Harry, hiding his head in his neck again bashfully, “Hi.”

He could feel Harry’s bass as he chuckled and smiled, “Good afternoon, love.”

\-----------

Unfortunately they could only spend a certain amount of time cuddling on top of each other before the real world came knocking. Louis had procrastinated, so he had to get back to his rooms to work on his lesson plans. He felt bad for his students and he didn’t want to spring another pop quiz just because he was in a relationship (!!) with one of their professors. 

And as the universe clearly hated him, the flu season decided to hit the castle. He didn’t see Harry for the whole week as he prepared Pepperup potions and bottles of Aestethe, his own invention for fevers. (Liam and him had finally evolved to being able to interact civilly, without little talking).

But it was finally Friday and until Liam send him an owl that he was out of potions, he was all Harry’s. However he hadn’t told Harry this yet, because he was going to surprise him. Louis felt giddy as he went down the familiar path down to the greenhouses. He knew Harry had one more class left for today, but he knew it wasn’t unusual for other professors to check in. Louis peered around, spinning until he saw a greenhouse containing a tall, curly-haired man.

It seemed that the class was just starting, so Louis stood near the door as Harry began introducing the subject for the day. He looked around and saw Miss Patil and Mr Demetriou and waved, professionally, at them and smiled. They looked very surprised and started whispering until Harry divided the Ravenclaw and Slytherin first years into groups.

Seeing that Harry was no longer the center attention in the room, Louis sauntered over. “Hey stranger.”

Harry looked overjoyed to see him and pecked him on the lips, “I didn’t know you would be done by today!”

A big crash resounded from the corner of the room. The two professors turned and saw Mr Demetriou getting accosted by a baby Bouncing Bulb in the face while staring at them blankly. His friend quickly grabbed the Bulb, throwing it back into their bowl and whispered fiercely to the boy.

“...Anyway, I just wanted to stop by and ask if you wanted to stop by my place after this.” At Harry's nod, Louis moved to walk beside him. He leaned in, stretching on his tip-toes, to whisper in the taller man's ear, “And I just wanted you to know...that I’m not wearing anything under this robe.”

With a sexy smirk, Louis stepped back. Harry looked like he had just been hit by a Bludger. Louis was wearing his usual potion master robes, which was simply a loose-fitting black cloak with a high neck.

Louis tried to keep his raspy whisper going, “So, what’s the password to your quarters?”

“U-uh.” Harry’s frog green eyes looked him up and down as if he stared hard enough, he could see through his cloak. His eyes watched Louis’ mouth as he licked his lips, waiting for Harry’s answer.

“It’s, uh, Salvia officinalis.”

Louis licked his lips again, his northern accent wrapping around the words as he slowly repeated, “Salvia officinalis?”

As Louis made to leave, Harry pulled him close and felt for Louis’ cock through the cloak, using Louis’ body as a barrier from the eyes of the class. Louis muffled a moan by biting at his hand, his knees almost giving out as Harry gave him a teasing stroke. 

He shivered as Harry wrapped him close and whispered, “I’ll be up in an hour. Make yourself comfortable.”

Louis hoped his face wasn’t too red as he shakily made his way back to the back door, oblivious to the looks he was getting from two Ravenclaws.

\-----------

About an hour later Louis heard the door bang open and footsteps pound towards him. He was sitting naked on Harry’s bed with a potion theory book in lap and glasses. 

Harry burst into the bedroom looking at Louis like he was his last meal. He stood over him and tossed the book out of Louis’ still hands. Harry devoured his lips and pushed Louis down onto his back. Pulling away, he hovered over Louis on all fours, staring at him fervently. Louis audibly gulped, his glasses fogging up, leaving him vulnerable. Louis was highly aware that he was completely naked, while Harry still had his robes on, and it was so hot. He knew Harry could see how hard he became while under him.

Harry moved him to lie vertically on the bed, and gently took off Louis’ reading glasses. Louis loved how Harry knew how he liked to be dominated in bed, but still allowed these tender moments to bloom. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment until Harry saw what he was looking for.

“Incarcerous.” Louis’ arms were bound to the Harry’s detailed, bronze headboard with thick ropes. He tested the bonds and knew that he was definitely powerless. 

Louis sassy remark was halfway out of his mouth until Harry’s hands started to thoroughly explore him. His hands felt reverent as they smoothed down Louis’ hanging arms. Harry’s hands flicked Louis’ nipples, causing Louis to jerk in his bonds. Harry smirked and put his mouth on his nipple. The smaller man let out a high-pitched whine. 

“Merlin, you’re so beautiful.” Harry’s hands found Louis’ round ass, as he kissed his way down his chest. 

Louis moaned as his lover squeezed each cheek with one of his giant hands. 

“Hey, Lou.”

“Mmmmm.”

“I guess it’s true that you’re a handful.”

Louis’ eyes flashed open incredulously to see Harry’s cheeky grin. “Really??” The shorter man exaggerated with his eyes to indicate the situation they were in.

“Well, you know they say that having sex with someone you love should be fun. And puns are fun.” Harry ended his sentence by taking Louis’ dick into his mouth.

“And you’re - oh, Merlin! - telling me you love - oh, yes, Harry - me right before - oh, oh, oh, - sucking my dick?”

Harry hummed around Louis’ cock, leaving Louis into a gasping mess. His head fell back between his tied arms as he let Harry have his way with him.

Harry must have felt Louis’ stomach tensing as pulled off right before the smaller man was about to come. Louis protested with a drawn-out whine until he heard the sound of Harry’s robes getting thrown on the floor. Merlin’s pants, that was a huge dick. Louis’ mouth watered as he stared at it, thinking of how full he would feel with it inside him.

“Is it alright if I...you?” Louis stared skeptically at this boy, wondering why he loved this dweeb of a boy, as he made a crude hand motion.

“I. Yeah…?”

Harry sat down on his knees in between Louis’ legs looking suddenly serious, “That wasn’t an enthusiastic yes, Lou.” He rubbed Louis’ rim while continuing to stare down at Louis.

“Yes! Fuck, yes. Please fuck me, oh Merlin.” Louis squeaked as Harry cast a silent spell that lubed and stretched his hole pleasantly.

“Actually my name’s Harry, but thanks.”

“Unghhh.” Louis’ eyes rolled for more than one reason as Harry pushed fully into Louis in one thrust.

Harry stayed still, his biceps twitching, as Louis adjusted to the fullness. After a couple of minutes the blue-eyed man nodded, his eyes watering as Harry thrust back in and hit that spot. Harry pushed Louis’ legs back, pressing on his thick thighs to spread them wider. The smaller man moaned high as this brought Harry deeper in him. The only sounds in the room were Harry’s grunts and Louis repeating a mantra of “yes. oh. Harry!”

His thrusts got faster while pushing Louis’ legs up higher and higher. Suddenly Harry stopped inside of his tight hole and reached for his wand.

“Uh?” Louis’ eyes fluttered open, he didn’t remember closing them, just lost in the pleasure of the curly boy knowing how to play his body perfectly.

“Incarcerous.” This time Harry pointed as Louis’ feet, pinning them next to his hands on the headboard. Louis was left, doubled up and completely helpless to Harry’s hard thrusts.

Louis was like a ragdoll as Harry’s hands found his ass again, pulling it up rhythmically instead of thrusting. Louis could only let out a series of “uh, uh, uh” noises as each movement took his breath away.

He could feel his orgasm sweeping his body as Harry handled him rougher and harder. Louis let out a “Guh” sound as his balls drew up and he erupted over his stomach and face, due to the positioning of his body. He felt overstimulated, his thighs shaking, as Harry kept thrusting erratically, close to his orgasm. He distantly heard someone whining, and realized it was him when Harry thrust harshly one last time, emptying himself into Louis. He shivered pleasantly at the feeling of being full.

“Oh my god.” Louis felt like his brain was leaking out of his ears. He didn’t expect Harry would be this good, and this was just the first time. Who knew how good this would be after getting to know each other’s bodies and kinks in time? He didn’t know when Harry undoing his bonds, but he was aware when he pulled out.

“Mmmm.”

“I know, I know, my love.” Harry placed a kiss on his temple, as he massaged Louis’ arms and ankles from getting tied up for so long. “Do you want a bath? I just made some bubblebath out of my seaweed.” 

Louis’ drowsy smile was answered by Harry’s bright one, as he carried his tired body into the bath.

Sometime later, when Harry had joined him, Louis turned around and placed a small hand on Harry’s chest. “Harry?” He was answered with a slow hum. “I love you too.”

“Awww, Louis!” Harry rubbed his face against Louis as he giggled, tiredly straining out of Harry’s grip.

“I changed my mind, and I hate you.”

“Nooooo.” Louis let himself get manhandled more into Harry’s lap, feeling content as he snuggled back against Harry’s wet body.


	9. Epilogue

Long before Harry had gotten his current job, there had been a tradition among the younger staff to go and collect some ingredients in the Forbidden Forest for the Ending Feast. By the time he had gotten hired, the house elves had gotten to know his boyfriend so well that they had a short list of ‘easy-to-find’ plants. So by the end of the best semester of Harry’s life, the tradition had become: get these four weird plants/mushrooms and then get drunk or high on the Forest floor. 

Niall was friends with the centaur herd that migrated there during this time of the year (because of course he was) so they were generally protected as long as they didn’t go on a full moon. The Irishman was currently joking around with one of the centaurs, making plans to go out for a drink sometime. Harry didn’t understand how Niall was so suave with everyone.

Right now Louis and Harry were holding hands at the back of the group as Liam and Luna, the Care of Magical Creatures Professor, were at the front arguing about mushrooms. 

There was still a rift between Liam and Louis, understandably. Louis had confessed to Harry, after another intense sex session, that he missed having him as a friend but he knew that they could never get back to that place after everything that had happened.

Harry treasured those moments of tranquility where Louis looked at him, completely unguarded. He thought the sex was awesome, but on those lonely nights before the mistletoe incident, when he didn’t know if Louis felt the same, he thought about holding Louis and spilling secrets from his soul. Moments when they didn’t just talk about their dark pasts because they were drunk, but because they loved and trusted each other.

He had spent the past four and a half months trying to regain the trust that had formed the foundation of their friendship. H e hadn’t asked Louis to share anything, but had given Louis every secret thing he could think of that could be used against him. He talked about how he had walked in on his dad cheating with his secretary from the Ministry, and how he had seen the dark mark on both of their arms. He told Louis about why he had decided to change his name from Parkinson to Styles to be closer to his mother. 

One night, one he would learn later to be the anniversary of Louis’ mother’s death, Louis asked Harry to talk more about his mother. Harry confessed that he had wrote many letters about Louis and his impossible crush, and that she was already ready to adopt him and cook his favorite foods. The teary smile Louis answered with was completely worth giving away all the memories that Harry had never told anybody other than his cat back home.

In return, Louis had told Harry about his mom. About how depressed she had been when the first dark mark had appeared when he was 11. How he didn’t understand why she had taken the Hemlock essence, and how Louis had cried over her body when she wouldn’t stop convulsing, her eyes turning black with blood. Harry had realized how horrible Liam’s accusations were when Louis confessed that the reason he had gone into potions was partly that of his mother and wanting to preserve her legacy. 

Before her mental health had deteriorated, Louis’ mother had been on the way of becoming a great potions master and had confessed to Louis during one of her bad days that she had gone into the field because she had felt she wasn’t good at spellwork. 

Harry couldn’t believe sometimes that Liam had completely turned every secret Louis had given up against the blue-eyed man. The excuse of it being the heat of the moment wasn’t enough for Harry anymore. Louis had gotten annoyed by how much Harry had apologized for taking Liam’s side, kissing up and down his golden arms.

Another thing that Harry couldn’t believe was Louis’ absolute beauty. He had always thought he was incredibly handsome, but seeing Louis give up his agency underneath him was a completely different experience. Louis looked up at him with complete trust when they began exploring the sexual dynamic between them. Whether bound or gagged, Louis looked at him like he was the world as Harry thrust wildly into him, breaking him apart and then putting him together again. That was the reason why Harry never suggested blindfolds, sex just wouldn’t be the same without looking into that oceanic abyss. 

Given their history, Harry was a little surprised that Louis was into him calling the smaller one names. The first time was unintentional. But after seeing Louis push back against him with each thrust, looking practically obscene, his tiny body controlled by Harry, fighting his bonds to get more of Harry in him. 

Harry couldn’t stop himself, “Look at you...hnng...such a little slut...gagging for my cock.” Next thing he knew Louis was clenching around him, coming, his eyes rolling far back.

Louis didn’t even know that he would like it so much, but he had confessed to Harry later that he liked feeling Harry’s control over him. Reminding him of the complete trust they had for each other.

All in all, Harry was pretty content with his relationship with his fantastic boyfriend. He continued swinging their intertwined hands exaggeratedly, craving the giggle Louis only made with him.

He couldn’t believe that part of the reason they both had gotten their heads out of their ass was that of two first years from his house.

\-------------------------

“This was all us.” Mohana watched proudly as their two professors couldn’t get their eyes off of each other, on the far sides of the staff table. They were both oblivious to the exaggerated dramatization of their heart eyes by Coach Horan, making Professor Lovegood giggle.

The two professors had been trying to hide their relationship, horribly, from their students but Aeron guessed that they had thrown caution to the wind for the Ending Feast. 

The two first-years had combusted after they had seen The Peck during class months ago. Aeron was content to just know that the two men had gotten their heads out of their asses, but it was still really cool when Professor Styles had talked to them in private in the common room one night.

(“Lou and I really owe our relationship part to both of you. But I would really appreciate it if you didn’t tell your friends about the schemes you did. Or tell Professor Tomlinson. Or anyone on the staff. Just...don’t tell anyone, okay? Because I’m, like, you’re Brofessor now.”

Aeron would treasure the look Mohana had on her face at the word “Brofessor” until the day he died.)

“So…” Mohana turned to Aeron, “What should our next project be? It’s your turn to pick.”

Aeron thought to himself for a moment, “Can we start a fan club for Professor Tomlinson?” He could already think of a few people who would be interested.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all folks!
> 
> If you liked it, please reblog the post I made for it!
> 
> http://thewizardofgays.tumblr.com/post/163183949748/my-fics-1-put-your-head-against-my-life-here


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